Adored - April 2012 rehearsal

Yeah!

I've been watching a lot of old Roses footage since the sad passing of Gary 'Mani' Mountfield. The Made of Stone documentary, Blackpool Live, the Snub TV footage from the Hacienda, the Other Side of Midnight performance of Waterfall, reunion shows from Parr Hall, Heaton Park, Coachella and Madison Square Garden, old interviews where the Roses are ice cold cool and TV appearances where they look like the perfect band. All glorious stuff.

One video has stood out in particular in the last week. It's footage of the reformed Roses, filmed in Super 8 style on a mobile phone by Shane Meadows on his first visit to the band's rehearsal studio on 18th April 2012. Meadows credits the moment as when he realised how best to film the Roses intimate working relationship.

The 5-minutes of black and white footage begins with Reni already in an effortlessly playful groove on his drums, while Mani finishes tuning his bass. Reni's eyes are closed, lost in the music as the camera cuts to Mani who begins the iconic riff of I Wanna Be Adored. 

Ian Brown, hair looking good, camouflage jacket, mumbles sounds into his mic. Mani stops and then restarts his magnificent rumble. Squire walks into the background and picks up a guitar. Reni keeps his groove going, funk jazz fusion beats over the Adored bassline.   

Before long Squire is sprinkling magical nuggets, causing Mani to grin beautifully. Brown shakes a tambourine. Squire, with impeccable, yet, messy hair, is now seated, coaxing some feedback, wearing a cool pair of Nike trainers and a stylish over-shirt. Brown smiles. Like the rest of us, he can only really watch on and marvel. Maybe he was thinking 'why the hell did we leave it so long?' ... Me too, Ian, me too! To Brown's credit, he lets this beautiful jam flow on. 

Squire plays with some effects; reverb, delay and echo, moving with ease up and down the neck of his guitar. Reni is beaming, at one with his drums, Mani is locked into the bass riff, Ian Brown stands and looks on in awe.

At 4-minutes in, Meadows focuses on Reni and the way he moves around his kit is astonishing. I can't help but think this guy hasn't recorded enough beats in his lifetime. There must be some old jams from the Second Coming sessions gathering dust in vaults. And what other footage from the rehearsals does Meadows have stashed away? I'd love to get access and go digging!

Then we cut to Mani's bass, the camera moves up to capture him in the zone, lips pursed and then he lets out a beautiful 'yeah'. God it makes me smile and brings happy tears to my eyes.

Meadows moves round and Reni starts showing off for Mani, looking him in the eyes as he adds some more moves to his grooves, shaking his head, laughing with Mani who never strays from his classic bass riff. Squire is still busy coaxing and conjuring gorgeous psychedelic gems from his guitar.

The footage ends, aptly, from behind Mani, his view of the room and the band he loved so much. The rogue Rose who anchored everything, allowing the exceptional Reni and Squire to do their thing. What a band! 

Enjoy this footage. 

Rest in Peace Mani. Forever Adored.

A beautiful tribute by John Squire 

The Beta Band at the Barrowland Ballroom

My sister Carla and I attended The Beta Band's final gig at Edinburgh's Liquid Room back in December 2004. We have talked about it a few times over the years while reminiscing about our 'all-time favourite gigs/albums/songs' over a few drinks.

That show was utterly magical. If there was a script, then the band went off it to improvise jams and grooves. I have vague memories of Steve Mason ending the show topless, wearing a helmet (I think?) and rapping. But as it was 21-years ago, I could be wrong.

The Beta Band were off the wall and lost in their own world, it's what made them so special, so unique and so captivating - you just didn't know what they would do next, where they would take a song or a groove. What clothes or accessories they would wear, put on ... or take off!

When the band broke up, their statement said that; '... eight years of no success has taken its toll and the apple needs to fall from the tree to spread its seeds.'

Given the buzz around their reformation and ticket sales, it would appear that the seeds have grown. My friends and I were among a sold-out and rammed Barrowland for the opening night of the tour to find out what has bloomed ...

Django Django warmed things up by sharing DJ duties among themselves; Turnin' My Heartbeat Up by The MVP's was among a number of choice tunes that were eclectic and cool. 

After the DJ's departed, a series of clips of The Beta Band were projected on to the white screen at the back of the stage. Home video recordings, shots of them shooting videos - walking on the moon, driving stunt cars, fooling around, interspersed with clips of songs ... just to remind you how off the wall and how brilliant they were.

Not that anyone in the room needed reminding. Although I am sure there were a number of people who hadn't seen them live before. My friend joked that the age range was just slightly younger than a Teenage Fanclub gig. But that there were a lot more trucker caps in the audience!

Steve Mason, John MacLean, Richard Greentree and Robin Jones walked onstage, MacLean fired up his synths and samples board and Inner Meet Me started the night. Before long, band and audience were in the groove. Steve Mason is one of my favourite guitar players. The way he plays rhythm guitar in tandem to (or often leading) bass and beats is unique, while he plays inventive and fluid riffs at times, often to break the groove and take it off on a tangent.

The Barrowland roar welcomed and thanked the band afterwards and it was even louder after the follow up, She's The One For Me. Talking of going off in tangents, the way this song veers off into a groove is possibly my favourite moment in a Beta Band song.

Dressed in flight suits, The Beta Band were taking off and everyone was along for the ride. The visuals behind them ranged from psychedelic lighting, to softer Autumnal tones, perfect backdrops for the mellow grooves and freakier moments of the trip.

There was little in the way of banter. The Beta Band were here to play. They switched between instruments, MacLean wove samples and effects into the live instruments, with Greentree's bass providing a solid groove foundation for the others to build and play upon.

Needles in My Eyes was beautiful, the slow bass rumbling intro was like Massive Attack, Mason's beautiful voice over the top made me think that he would be an amazing guest vocalist for the Bristol gang. But he has his own gang back!

Dogs Got a Bone was cool, while of course Dry the Rain was magical. The crowd sang every word, the refrain echoing around the Barrowland. It was a beautiful moment, band and audience as one. 

If there's something inside that you wanna say

Say it out loud it'll be OK

I will be your light, I will be your light

I will be your light, I will be your light

One of my favourite Beta Band performances online is when they play B+A at Glastonbury (watch below). They stretched it out in a similar style, in no rush to launch into the groove, teasing with the riff and bongos, introducing the wah wah effects to the guitar .... then BOOM ... into the groove that went on and on. 

Closing, after pausing for a brief encore, with a sublime Squares and then The House Song, The Beta Band had reminded everyone (perhaps even themselves) of their off the wall, psychedelic brilliance. 

Oasis - The Lost Tapes

Tim Abbot was Managing Director at Creation Records when the band signed and he was one of their biggest allies, becoming a close friend of the band. It was Tim that tracked down Noel when he left in 1994 after the infamous Whiskey A Go Go show, Tim on the cover of Cigarettes & Alcohol having it large with the band, Tim that was helping to manage the whirlwind of activity that Oasis kicked up for Creation.

Tim got Oasis from the very first time the band set foot inside Creation's office to sign the deal McGee had offered/promised them at King Tuts. He fell for their look, their attitude and their music. Oasis, in turn, recognised a kindred spirit.

Abbot filmed it all. Recognising that Oasis were special, his new book and accompanying film, The Lost Tapes, is the Holy Grail of never-before-seen footage, taking you the trip of a lifetime from tiny venues, across different countries and on to iconic shows. Raw, unfiltered, soulful and true - Oasis in their prime.

This is the Oasis I love.

I'm not interested in huge stadium shows, a merchandise overload, insane ticket prices and the brothers getting the band back together for money. Everything seems so controlled, so corporate, so organised, so orchestrated ... down to the hugs between the brothers. It's amazing what a costly divorce can lead to ... 

Now, the hugs between Liam and Noel seem to be getting warmer with every passing show, but there is little other interaction between them ... at least that we have seen.

So yes, I'm a little cynical and relatively non-fussed about Oasis in 2025. They have already played to over a million people at the time of writing and are going to make millions more happy. But it's the Oasis of my youth that I still crave. When things were balanced permanently on a knife edge, it could all explode at any given moment, when the tension could be felt on stage and off. 

And my God, hasn't Tim Abbot captured the essence of Oasis in this film - which, it should be added, comes in excerpts with Tim talking in between and doing a Q&A at the end. Abbot would need substantial investment to clear music and complete the film. Tantalisingly, Abbot has had 30-hours of footage edited and documented and has another 10-hours being worked on. Last night was a mere glimpse into what he has.

However, what you get to see at present includes; Noel creating the chord sequence to Don't Look Back In Anger in a bar in Montreal, the humour and banter, Guigsy riding round the outside of Earls Court on his new scooter (courtesy of The Chief - AKA Noel) past the fans as Oasis-mania really kicked in, backstage footage, Noel dragging Alan White out his bed to the bar, the desire and ambition, the rollercoaster ride that climbed ever higher but had unexpected dips along the way - before climbing even higher! 

There is incredible footage of Oasis in the studio recording Champagne Supernova - Liam getting a warning from Owen Morris to look after his voice, while Liam says he is going out to the pub, but only for a couple. Liam pouring his heart and soul into singing the song, sounding incredible. As Abbot says, (What's The Story) Morning Glory is the album where Liam truly learned to sing.

Elsewhere, Noel lays down some of the guitar parts to Champagne Supernova in the mixing room, with Liam lounging on the sofa to his side. Noel absolutely nails it - he is completely in the zone and producer Owen Morris is super excited, Noel is visibly chuffed. Liam - 'it's alright.' :-)

You had to hang on for dear life as a fan back then, never mind being the Managing Director of the label and close friend of the band. Abbot tells a tale of how a fight between the brothers could erupt from something as simple as one not passing the other a bottle of beer. 

His tale of Noel going missing after the infamous crystal meth episode at the Whiskey A Go Go, how he finds him, goes to Vegas and plays a role in getting the band going again is incredible. It's a little film in the making.

Abbot talks of the golden period of Noel writing song-after-song, but also of how the well ran dry and things changed after Maine Road and at Knebworth, highlighting that on reflection, they should have released The Masterplan compilation and taken a break.

Abbot's brilliant quote about Knebworth was; 'when there are more hairdressers (i.e. the Meg Mathews crowd) hanging around backstage than other bands, then you have a problem.'

He also talks of the difference of going to Mustique to write and demo in comparison to the songs that Noel had written to date. Don't Go Away, Stand By Me and All Around The World were the only old songs taken forward to Be Here Now. There is footage from the recording of Morning Glory that shows the former two on the list of songs being worked on.

Tim also talks fondly about the clothes and attitude of the band; how Liam could wear a £15 Millets cagoule and look cool. His photos from the book, and played on a slideshow between films, showcase a devastatingly handsome Liam, super cool hair, eyes you could dive into and an inner fire and soul that leaps out - even in a photo. Abbot affectionately refers to Liam as The Kid and Noel as The Chief. 

The film has excellent footage from the Morning Glory and Wonderwall film sets. It's safe to say that Oasis were not fans of recording promo videos! While Tim recording the band walking on to the stage at Earls Court is electrifying.

Tim is engaging company and his passion is still there. Abbot is a super fan, following the band round their reunion shows - he says that the Saturday at Wembley was truly incredible. 

His thoughts for the future?

A live album(s) put out in bootleg style. A big rest after the South American leg of the tour, European dates and ... Knebworth 2026 ....

Find out more about Tim's film, cinema tour dates, book and photos via https://oasisdefinitely.com/the-lost-tapes

I Am A Rock

 

Trust me #84
I Am A Rock by Simon & Garfunkel

I was quite moved by a recent article in The Guardian where Art Garfunkel talked of meeting up with Paul Simon for the first time in 'many years' when the duo came together for lunch. There were hugs, tears and the promise to meet up again. 'Will Paul bring his guitar? Who knows? For me, it was about wanting to make amends before it's too late.'

Simon and Garfunkel are both age 83 and their tense relationship has simmered pretty much from the off, yet they recorded 5 albums between 1964 and 1970, including Sounds of Silence (1966) and Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970).

Even post-split and barely speaking (3-times a year) the duo would still get together to perform, most famously at a free concert in Central Park in 1981. That live album is incredible, you can feel the chemistry onstage and the appreciation of the audience in their response. 

It's not been easy, there has been lots of sniping in interviews and when the duo have met up. While being inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990, Garfunkel thanked Simon, calling him 'the person who most enriched my life by putting those songs through me.' Simon responded; 'Arthur and I agree about almost nothing. But it's true, I have enriched his life quite a bit!' The duo performed 3 songs and then left without speaking! Thankfully things thawed and the duo played a hugely successful tour in 2003-2004. There hasn't been too much to speak of since then.

After reading The Guardian article I thought of one of my favourite (possibly my number 1) Simon and Garfunkel song - I Am A Rock, the closing song on their Sounds of Silence album. God, they really have been a couple of rocks, stubbornly refusing to communicate with each other!

Thankfully, as both are aged 83, they have made up before it is too late.

The battered Sounds of Silence LP that I own was originally my Mums. I often think back to simpler times when owning a physical album or single was the only way to hear a song. My parents didn't have a huge collection, but The Stones, Simon and Garfunkel, Marvin and Tammi, Jose Feliciano and Sam Cooke were there. They must have had more when they were younger and got rid of them. I'll need to ask my Mum!

But back to the song!

Paul Simon wrote and recorded the song in 1965 on his debut solo album The Paul Simon Songbook. It's just Paul and his acoustic guitar. It's quite a raw recording, Simon strumming gently, finger picking, then hammering on his guitar at times, up close to the mic ... it's pretty cool. The lyrics are vivid and exceptionally open and honest.

A winters day

In a deep and dark December

I am alone

Gazing from my window to the streets below

On a freshly fallen silent shroud of snow

I am a rock

I am an island

I've only just discovered The Paul Simon Songbook album and it's incredible. A couple of the songs had been released the previous year on the debut Simon and Garfunkel album Wednesday Morning 3am. All but two of the remaining song would be re-recorded by the duo, including The Sound of Silence and April Come She Will.

The following year, Simon and Garfunkel re-recorded the song. The structure and melody are the same, but this time there is a full band and the glorious Paul and Art harmonies. There is a greater urgency to the song and I've never appreciated the glorious hammond organ throughout the song.

I have my books

And my poetry to protect me

I am shielded in my armour

Hiding in my room, safe within my womb

I touch no-one and no-one touches me

I am a rock, I am an island

And a rock feels no pain

And an island never cries

So many incredible 60's songs were bang on the 3-minute mark. This is another. It's quite remarkable what you can do within that time. With I Am A Rock, Paul Simon pours his heart out to express, isolation, loneliness and emotional self-protection.

I have  no need for friendship

Friendship causes pain

It's laughter and it's loving I disdain

I am a rock

I am an island

And a rock can feel no pain

And an island never cries

Both versions of I Am A Rock are added to my Trust Me playlist; search for Everything Flows - Trust Me on Spotify or CLICK HERE 

Check below for all previous blogs in my Trust Me series.

Previous Trust Me blogs

1. Something On Your Mind by Karen Dalton

1A. Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells

2. I Am, I Said  by Neil Diamond

3. Where's The Playground Susie?   by Glen Campbell

4. If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lighfoot

5. Gimme Some Truth by John Lennon

6. Gone With The Wind Is My Love by Rita and the Tiaras

7. In The Year 2525 by Zager and Evans

8. The Music Box by Ruth Copeland

9. The Ship Song by Nick Cave

10. Sometimes by James

11. I Walk The Earth by King Biscuit Time

12. Didn't Know What I Was In For by Better Oblivion Community Centre

13. When My Boy Walks Down The Street by The Magnetic Fields

14. The Man Don't Give A F**k by Super Furry Animals

15. All Flowers In Time Bend Towards The Sun by Jeff Buckley and Liz Fraser

16. Are You Lookin' by The Tymes

17. A Real Hero by College & Electric Youth

18. Feelings Gone by Callum Easter

19. Sunday Morning by The Velvet Underground

20. Did I Say by Teenage Fanclub

21. Don't Look Back by Teenage Fanclub

22. Your Love Is The Place Where I Come From by Teenage Fanclub

23. Belfast by Orbital

24. Clouds by The Jayhawks

25. Dreaming Of You by The Coral

26. Everlasting Love by Love Affair

27. Walk Away Renee by The Left Banke

28. Teenage Kicks by The Undertones

29. Shaky Ground by Sneeze

29. Rill Rill by Sleigh Bells

30. I Can Feel Your Love by Felice Taylor

31. The State We're In by The Chemical Brothers w/ Beth Orton

32. Sunshine After The Rain by Ellie Greenwich

33. Losing My Edge by LCD Soundsystem

34. Mondo 77 by Looper

35. Les Fleurs by Minnie Riperton

36. Rat Trap by The Boomtown Rats

37. How High by The Charlatans

38. I Can't Let Go by Evie Sands

39. Pop Song 89 by R.E.M.

40. Summertime Clothes by Animal Collective

41. There She Goes by The Las

42. We're Going To Be Friends by White Stripes

43. Autumn Sweater by Yo La Tengo

44. Sister Rena by Lomond Campbell

45. Revolution by The Beatles

46. Lazarus by The Boo Radleys

47. Wrote For Luck by Happy Mondays

48. American Trilogy by The Delgados

49. Loser by Beck 

50. Silent Sigh by Badly Drawn Boy

51. Comedy by Shack

52. Take The Skinheads Bowling by Camper Van Beethoven

53. Freakscene by Dinosaur Jr

54. Thank You For Being You by The Pastels

55. I Think I'm In Love by Spiritualized

56. Chestnut Mare by The Byrds

57. Cannonball by The Breeders

58. Like A Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan

59. You Make Me Weak At The Knees by Electrelane

60. Lucky by Radiohead

61. Strange Currencies by R.E.M.

61. I Am The Cosmos by Chris Bell

62. Like A Ship (Without A Sail) by Pastor TL Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir

63. Nothing But A Heartache by The Flirtations

64. Made of Stone by The Stone Roses

65. Tonight In Belfast by Orbital, David Holmes, DJ Helen and Mike Garry

66. Anything by Adrianne Lenker

67. I Hold Something In My Hand by Bill Ryder-Jones

68. I Meant Every Word by Burnett Sisters

69. Dream Baby Dream by Suicide

70. Stove by The Lemonheads

71. Red Lady by Phil Cordell

72. Little Fluffy Clouds by The Orb

73. I Can Do It With A Broken Heart by Taylor Swift

74. Turnin' My Heartbeat Up by The M.V.P.'s

75. Razzle Dazzle Rose by Camera Obscura

76. Such Great Heights by The Postal Service

77. The Rat by The Walkmen

78. My God Has A Telephone by Aaron Frazer

79. Unfinished Sympathy by Massive Attack

80. Sweet and Tender Romance by The McKinleys

81. Hoppipolla by Sigur Ros

82. 69 Police by David Holmes

83. Hey Lisa by David Holmes

Oasis - the reunion

The only way to keep them together?

And so ... it's on.

Oasis are back and their reunion will make a lot of people extremely happy, some very rich, some fans very poor (tickets won't be cheap - prices are notably not being announced in advance of tickets going on sale!) and it will no doubt piss off a few people as well. 

I have mixed feelings about it. I always thought that Noel would adopt the approach of Paul Weller, his friend and idol, who has passed up numerous offers to reform The Jam.

However, an Oasis reunion is on a completely different scale. In fact, it may well be off the charts. Early indications are that Noel and Liam will each make 50 million in 2025. Noel, as songwriter, will likely make even more from the increase in streaming, radio plays and album sales.

I'll have a look for tickets, but I'm not excited by paying loads of money to stand miles away from them in a stadium or field. Will there be VIP golden circle options?! How much will they be? Will they play warm up shows? 

Truth be told, I found the 8am announcement this morning a little cold. I hope that Liam and Noel will come together for a press conference in advance of tickets going on sale, or issue a full press release with details about how their reunion has come about. The photo (below) to accompany tour dates being announced looked photo-shopped. It turns out that the brothers were in the same room for a shoot. Hopefully they smiled at some point!

The contrast between the Roses press conference to announce their reunion and the accompanying Penny Smith photos of them hugging and laughing is stark. I was also super excited about the Roses reunion, but that was due to the fact that I never caught them live. I kind of did Oasis and got the t-shirt; the small shows, breakthrough shows and Knebworth. 

So, while I'm pleased that Liam and Noel are getting together again, I'm not excited ... yet. I suspect that will change when I see them together, laughing, joking, vibing off each other.  

Why are people excited by an Oasis reunion? It's the question that TV channels, radio shows and countless social media accounts have been asking.

Well, here are 6 immediate reasons;

• Passion and Personality

Liam and Noel kicked down doors that were (and are) very much barricaded to working class kids from a council estate. They had a label (Creation) who believed in them and encouraged them to be true to themselves and their roots. Indeed, Alan McGee wanted their debut single to be Bring It On Down rather than Supersonic. He loved the Pistols punk vibe and the lyrics;

You're the outcast

You're the underclass

But you don't care

Because you're living fast

The Gallagher brothers were up for it, in more ways than one. They gigged relentlessly, took all the drugs they could get their hands on, did all the media going and kept on partying.

Their interviews were hilarious. They spoke like normal people! They'd slag off other bands, talk about girls they fancied, big themselves up, talk about their love of The Beatles, Adidas trainers, Clarks desert boots and their Mam. They wore 'normal' clothes, which Noel beautifully reflects on in the Supersonic documentary when they arrive at Knebworth virtually wearing the same clothes they had on when they started the band. They regularly shopped at M&S!

Oasis were a different world to 'indie' bands or grunge. They were real, authentic, very funny and soulful. 

• Escapism

The world is a pretty f**ked up place at the moment. Losing yourself in music and songs is arguably even more important than ever. Oasis songs, especially the early ones, were all about dreams and escapism. It's why they have stood the test of time. 

Live Forever - Cause I just wanna fly

Fade Away - Fantasy was real, now I know much about the way I feel

Rock n Roll Star - In my mind my dreams are real

Slide Away - We'll find a way, of chasing the sun

Sad Song - Cause it's all just the same at the end of the day

Noel could write something off the cuff that became vital and anthemic, whether the dreamy lyrics of above, or something like stand up beside the fireplace, take that look from off your face line from Don't Look Back In Anger, something his Mum used to say to him. That line is immediately followed by the beautiful;

You ain't ever gonna burn my heart out

As Noel said in an early interview; "It's about the man in the street. When the milkman is whistling your tune, you know you've done it."

We didn't really know what a Wonderwall was, or what it meant to be walking down the hall, faster than a cannonball, or what a champagne supernova was. It didn't matter. When Liam sang, we knew, we connected.

• Those songs, that voice

You can wait for a lifetime, to spend your days in the sunssshhhiiiiiinnnnneeee

In his recent interview with John Robb, Noel memorably describes his own voice as being like a half pint of Guinness on a Tuesday afternoon. While Liam's is like 10 shots of Tequila on a Friday night!

Liam Gallagher's voice was remarkable. Oasis played 288 gigs across 1994, 1995 and 1996 and Liam's voice just got stronger and stronger, despite his appetite for drugs and alcohol. 

When Liam sings lines like; I only wanna see the light that shines behind your eyes it's spine tingling. He looked incredible and he sounded even better. Like no-one before or since. 

Liam did become a bit of a caricature of himself, in appearance and voice. In later years his voice seemed shot, but he has worked hard on his lifestyle to get it back, he sounded great on the DM30 tour.

Of course, 30-years on, it is different, but Liam singing Noel's songs is very much the main reason that people are excited by the reunion.

• The brothers gonna work it out

I'd love Oasis to walk on stage to The Chemical Brothers Leave Home with the refrain the brothers gonna work it out blasting from the speakers. 

Oasis fans worldwide are thrilled that the two Gallagher brothers are speaking to each other again. Never mind the fact that we will undoubtedly have hilarious press conferences and interviews, they will be rehearsing, there might be small and intimate warm up shows (they won't immediately go and play a stadium ... will they?!) and the concerts. 

They will also be delighted for their Mum Peggy. Noel and Liam have always spoken so fondly of their Mum, from their very first interviews. It must have been heartbreaking for her not to see them getting on.

Blood's thicker than mud, it's a family affair 

• The tension

Noel and Liam's relationship has a lot of tension in it! Even the new photos show that! Are they happy about this?! For all that these shows have been booked and tickets are going on sale, the fact is - the relationship will be tested between now and next summer! They will be in the same room A LOT and they are bound to have arguments at times. That's just Liam's nature, he can't help himself. How will Noel react? How will Liam react to Noel's reaction?! Will they make it to next summer? Will it all implode?

But ... that's all part of the charm and attraction.  When it comes to the Gallagher brothers, and Liam in particular, you just don't know what is going to happen!

But with tens of millions of pounds at stake, I'm sure the shows will go ahead by hook or by crook!

• The first time - a new generation

Lets not forget that for many, this will be their first choice to see Oasis. Many will have seen the brother doing their thing, but not together.

Many people of my age (and older) have introduced younger people to Oasis. Liam's shows attract scores of teenagers pining for Oasis songs. DM30 gave them a a healthy taste, now for the main course!

I Ran Away by Dinosaur Jr

Pic by Cara Totman

Later this month Dinosaur Jr will release Sweep Into Space, their 12th studio album, on 30th April. Co-produced by J Mascis and Kurt Vile, my appetite for the LP has been hugely enhanced by I Ran Away which is the sound of vintage Dinosaur Jr.

J Mascis' voice is beautifully strained and soulful, his guitar playing still makes me want to pick up an electric guitar, his rhyming style is at peak flowing levels. 

All in all, I Ran Away is everything I could possibly hope to hear from Dinosaur Jr in 2021 and more. Are they still this good, this fresh, this exciting - YES!

Sweep Into Space will be the bands 5th album since Mascis, Barlow and Murph re-united back in 2005, playing shows that then led to 2007's Beyond LP.

Mascis and Barlow continue to release solo/Sebadoh albums, but there is no denying that they create something special when they come together with Murph on drums.

The meet me where I know 3rd verse is written in exactly the same style and structure as the first two verses, but it's delivered differently, like a middle eight, it's so clever, so brilliant. And J's fills after each line in the chorus are sublime, the rhythm section is just constant, allowing the magic to happen. J's guitar solo is 25-seconds of escapism and pure joy.

35-years since their debut album, Dinosaur Jr continue to amaze and excite. Roll on the album and I hope we see the band return to Glasgow next year.

You can order Sweep Into Space from the good people at Monorail by CLICKING HERE

Stone Roses split?

Don't be sad it's over, be happy that it happened - Ian Brown, Hampden Park, 24th June 2017

With that statement and a snatch of Beautiful Thing - hear me it's a beautiful thing and I say bye bye fans of the Stone Rose have been left wondering if the bands celebrated reunion is over. Since the summer of 2012 the band have played around the world and made hundreds of thousands of people happy, people who never thought they would ever see the band live, never hear them play their joyous songs. In the process the band have made their deserved millions, they had been shafted first time round - caught in legal wrangling over record and management contracts.

Roll back to late 2011 and I was beside myself, Stone Roses were reforming. I tried desperately for tickets for the first two Heaton Park shows, my mate secured me one for the Sunday.

Later on they announced a string of shows across Europe to warm up and get arena ready and I went over to Amsterdam - they were magical, the Sunday at Heaton Park was my dreams come true.

Meeting Mani in Amsterdam

Glasgow Green the following year was a disappointment - at least for me. Fights, bottles flying and a dangerous vibe in the air was a far cry from the atmosphere at Heaton Park the previous summer, they then made up for that at T in the Park last year, playing a blinder. Made of Stone, the Shane Meadows documentary captured the magic, what they meant to the fans and the incredible shows they played - but the Roses kept schtum.

T in the Park 2016 for the Roses

But All For One was awful, I turned on the radio and thought it was Kasabian or someone like that. It was more like The Seahorses than the Roses. Beautiful Thing was much better.

Although I longed to see the Roses and for new material, I also longed to hear them speak, to read their interviews, to see what they made of the world, politics, the changing times....we've had nothing since the press conference in 2011.

When they announced their latest string of UK summer shows I barely batted an eyelid, I didn't try for tickets - the fact that Hampden is a terrible venue was only a small part of the reason.

Even when the rumours broke that Hampden was to be the last Roses show, I wasn't too bothered. It showed - this year there had been no secret shows, small European shows or rumours of new material or photos of their gear being loaded into studios.

The fact is; I had done it. I had seen the magical, mystical Roses; I've sang my heart out, I have cried, I have been hoisted up on friends shoulders, I've punched the air in delight and I've done my fair share of dad dancing.

Back in 1990 Ian Brown was asked about the Roses turning down a support slot with The Stones and he replied something like 'It's 1990, The Rolling Who? They should have friends who care about them enough to tell them to pack it in.'

If you've read previous Roses blogs I have written, if you know me, you'll know how much I love them. But I kind of feel like that about the Roses now. This year it felt like they were milking it and going through the motions. I didn't want to go and see that.

So how do I feel this morning..... mixed emotions....

Kind of gutted; the Stone Roses being together made the world a better place, it put smiles on faces, it allowed people to forget their worries, cares and the state of the world for a day. They allowed people to relive their youth, to celebrate it with their kids, to come together to celebrate a remarkable band.

I hope the kids that went to see the Roses pick up guitars and form bands - that is what the Roses always wanted.

4 people who will always be defined by their music and friendship got back together and made people happy. Whether the 4 are still friends or not is another matter - reports from Hampden say that there were 2 separate embraces on stage last night, with Ian and Reni notably not together. My friend was down the front and he said Mani was crying - there isn't a bigger fan of the Roses than Mani himself.

Going back to Ian's quote from last night - I am truly happy it happened.

And on the flip side it feels like it is the right time to call it quits if there is no new music. Rumours are also abound that Ian Brown will be releasing a solo album in 2018.

We'll find out soon.

Fools Gold? - why are so many bands reforming?

Black Sabbath are the latest band to announce a reunion tour. I like Ozzy, he is good fun, I don't think any of them need the money, I wish them well.

The Stone Roses have sold out three nights at Manchester's Heaton Park next summer, the money lies in the promoters account gathering a significant amount of interest. Fans are planning their travel, clothes, booze, drugs and time off work.

Reunions are big bucks for the bands, promoters, merch operators, dealers and pretty much everyone concerned.

They are certainly big bucks for the fans too. Tickets, merch, travel, beer, food, accommodation....it all adds up.

Lets take a quick look at Heaton Park. Without even taking the crazy VIP tickets into account (£199 and £299), the ticket sales will reach almost £12 million.

£12 million!!!! No wonder the Roses look so happy in this picture!

The 'admin charge' or 'booking fee' will be almost £1.5 million (on top of the £12 million).

Hotels, B and B's, pubs and clubs are all going to benefit. There will be programmes, tshirts, swaetshirts, posters.....you name it.

I haven't even mentioned event sponsorship yet! The Roses could get some cool brands involved (don't bet against Adidas) to make even more money.

Promoters are on to a good thing with reunion's. They know the bands that will shift tens of thousands of tickets, they know when they will make a killing. Blur, Sabbath, Pulp, The Pixies, The Roses.... all bands that people love.....all bands that can make others money.

The current musical scene is full of solo stars, manufactured pop stars and bands that just don't seem to mean as much to people as the bands mentioned above. They all captivated peoples hearts.....en masse, the Roses even changed the look of a generation.

So are we the fools, imparting with our hard earned cash (gold)?

One thing is for sure, the promoters involved in these reunions are no fools.

5 reasons why promoters are chasing bands to reform

1. Demand - The Roses finished on a sour note, the reunion is a chance to change that. Blur had unfinished business, Pulp, The Pixies, Sabbath - they all have huge fan bases that want to see them....and they will pay for it.

2. Sure fire thing - this fan base, the classic bands, the reunion stories about friendships being patched up....it makes for good media and ticket sales.

3. The lack of new bands breaking through that have a significant fan base.

4. The current climate - tickets for festival sales were down in 2011 and that may well continue in 2012. Where are promoters going to make up that shortfall? Reunion tours!

5. The money - at the end of the day, it's all about the benjamins for the majority of promoters.

Blur, Pulp and The Pixies all received huge acclaim for their reunion shows. I hope the Roses do too.

At the end of the day, these reunions are going to make a lot of people happy.....ESPECIALLY PROMOTERS! ;-)